Charlotte Hornets star guard LaMelo Ball is at home healing a fractured ankle but while he rests, he can rest assured that he’s missed by NBA fans. One of the faces of the next generation of NBA stars, Ball has actually played so well since entering the league that he has plenty of fans that are twice his age.
That list likely includes 2006 NBA Champion, Jason Williams.
Williams, discussing the state of guard play in the NBA with The Inquirer’s Lance Agcaoili, would name-drop LaMelo when trying to decide what players today remind him of himself.
“I don’t think any of them played like I played,” says Williams.
“Maybe LaMelo Ball a little bit. But the guys are so good and they can score 30 points every night so it’s different. I would never score 30.”
“The skills of the guard today, it’s crazy to me that the way they can score and how far they can shoot,” he continues.
Ball, a one-time All-Star at 21-years-old and 2021 Rookie of the Year, averaged a career-high 23.3 points per game this season.
Notorious for his shooting range and his confidence, Ball has converted 456 threes in 162 games. For reference, in a 158-game stretch between 2000 and 2001, Williams converted 243 3-point attempts.
Speaking of his skillset, Williams knows that “there are just a lot more guys doing it nowadays as opposed to when I was playing. There weren’t too many guys that were doing it.”
Despite retiring from the league in 2011, NBA fans remember Williams fondly. Affectionately called “White Chocolate,” Williams played with a flavor and flair that was truly rare to find.
One can only imagine how much he would love playing in this era.
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